Kerf-cutting machine



Dec. 8, 1942. R. s. BIGELOW KERF-CUTTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet l mvam-on BY 1 m; A'n'onucv Filed Nov. 8, 1940 R. s. BIGELOW 2,304,143

KERF-CUTTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 8, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Deg. 8, 1942.

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Patented Dec. 8, 1942 KEEP-CUTTING MACHINE Roy S. Bigelow, Chicago, 111., assianor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application November 8, 1940, Serial No. 364,757

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in kerf-cutting machines, and more particularly relates to a novel and improved means for facilitating the cutting of a kerf in a mine.

The principal objects of my invention are to facilitate the cutting of a kerf in a mine, in a novel and improved manner, by a novel arrangement of high pressure streams of fluid, such as water, adapted to penetrate and break down the material it is desired to cut, and by the use of cutter chains to removethe material from the kerf formed by the streams of fluid and to cut any material not broken down by the fluid streams.

Other objects of my invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a mining machine having a fluid kerf cutting means constructed in accordance with my invention associated therewith;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail fragmentary plan view of the cutter bar of the machine shown in Figure 1, with certain parts broken away and certain other parts shown in horizontal section, in order to more clearly illustrate certain details of my invention;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken substantially along line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged partial fragmentary detail horizontal sectional view illustrating a portion of the cutter bar of the machine shown in Figure l, in order to more clearly show certain details of the spraying nozzles;

Figure 5 is an enlarged partial fragmentary detail transverse sectional view taken through the cutter bar, in order to show certain details of the spraying nozzles and the fluid connections thereto; and

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the cylinder for oscillatably moving the spraying nozzles.

Referring now in particular to the drawings, a mining machine i0 is provided. Said mining machine may be of a usual track mounted type, well known to those skilled in the art, so will only herein be described insofar as is necessary to render my present invention clearly understandable. Said mining machine, as herein illustrated, includes a turntable ll mounted on a track mounted truck l2 (see Figure l). A cutting element generally indicated by reference character I3 is mounted on said turntable, for

vertical adjustment with respect thereto in spaced apart guide frames ll, H, and is adjustably moved along said guide frames by means of a motor 15 at the rear end of said cutting element, in a usual manner (not shown). A frame l6 extends forwardly from said motor and a cutter bar i1, having a cutter chain l9 guided for orbital movement thereabout, projects forwardly from said frame. Said cutter chain is driven from a drive sprocket 20, driven from the motor l5 through a suitable geared connection, not herein shown or described since it is no part of my present invention. 1

Referring now in particular to the details of construction of the cutter bar l1 and certain novel features of my invention, said cutter bar is herein shown as consisting of a pair of parallel spaced, longitudinally extending bars 2!, 2| adjustably secured at their rear ends to a forwardly projecting support portion 22 of the frame IS, in a usual manner, and having a head 23 connecting the forward ends of said bars together. Said head forms a rounded guide surface extending from the outer side of one bar to the outer side of the other, around which the cutter chain changes its direction of travel. Plates 26, 2e are secured to and extend along the upper and lower sides of said bars and project outwardly therefrom (see Figure 3). The inner sides of said plates are provided with gibs 25, 25 extending along their edges, which with said bars form a gibbed channeled guide for the cutter chain l9. Plates 26, 26 are spaced from said first mentioned plates by means of longitudinally spaced spacing members 28, 28 and are secured Y to said first mentioned plates and spacing members by suitable securing means, such as rivets. The spaces between said spacing members form mountings for longitudinally spaced nozzles 21, 21, mounted therein, for oscillating movement with respect thereto. As herein shown, said nozzles are mounted on the upper and lower sides of said cutter chain and are also provided on the advance and retreating sides of said cutter bar, to permit reverse cutting of the machine.

Each nozzle 27 is herein shown as being threaded on a lug projecting from a body 29 (see Figure 4). Said body has flat upper and lower surfaces and circular sides and is pivotally mounted between the plates 24 and 26 in a socket member 80, for osclllative movement with respect to the cutter bar. Said socket member engages rounded end portions of adjacent spacing members 28, 28 (see Figure 4) and said body is held in said socket member by means of plates 39a,

38a secured in the upper and lower sides of said socket member.

An inner rear V-shaped open portion 31 of said body converges to a passageway 88 in said body. Said passageway extends through said body portion to the nozzle 21. Said open portion is arranged to permit fluid to be conducted through said passageway in all positions of oscillation of said nozzle with respect to said socket member.

In order that the cutter chain may not interfere with the jets of fluid coming from said nozzles, and in order that said nozzles may cut clearance for the cutter bar, the nozzles in the upper portion of the cutter bar are herein shown as being directed in an upward direction, so fluid under pressure will pass just above the tips of the uppermost bits of the cutter chain. The nozzles in the lower portion of said cutter bar are shown as being directed in a downward direction so fluid under pressure will pass just below the tips of the lowermost bits of the cutter chain (see Figure 3).

Fluid under pressure is conducted to the nozzles 21, 21 by means of a pair of parallel spaced pipes 31, 31, extending longitudinally of said cutter bar between the plates 24 and 28 (see Fig ures 2 and 3), and connected with said nozzles through the socket members 30, 38. Said pipes have connection with a flexible conduit 39 leading from a pressure pump 40, herein shown as being mounted on the truck 12 and driven from a motor 4| on said truck. Said pump may be of any suitable construction and is no part of my present invention, so is not herein shown or described in detail. Valves 42, 42 are provided in the pipes 31, 31, to close the pipe leading to the nozzles on the side of the cutter bar which is its retreating side when cutting across a coal face in either direction of cuttin so only the nozzles on the advance side of the cutter bar will be in operation.

The nozzles 21, 21 may be oscillated in the sockets 30, 30 in any suitable manner, but are herein shown as being oscillated by means of a fluid cylinder 44 and piston 45, mounted in said cutter bar between the bars 21, 2| and extending longitudinally thereof. Said piston is provided with a projecting piston rod 46 which has a spider 41 secured to its outer end. Said spider, as herein shown, has two upwardly and outwardly extending arms which are connected to laterally spaced bars 48, 48, extending longitudinally of the cutter bar, and has two lower downwardly and outwardly extending arms which are connected to similar bars 48, 48 extending longitudinally of said cutter bar, adjacent the lower end thereof, for reciprocably moving said bars upon reciprocable movement of said piston within said cylinder.

The bars 48, 48 have a series of spaced arms 49, 49 pivotally connected thereto. Said last mentioned arms, as herein shown, have connection with squared depending ends of lower trun nion supports 50, 50 for the body portions 29, 29, of the upper nozzles 21, 21, and with upwardly extending squared ends of trunnion supports 5| for the body portions 29, 29 of the lower nozzles 21, 21, for osciilatabiy moving said nozzles about the axes of said trunnion supports, upon reciprocable movement of said bars see Figure 3).

The cylinder 44 and piston 45 may be operated by fluid under pressure in any usual manner, but as herein shown, said piston is automatically reciprocated and is slidably mounted in a sleeve 53 slidably mounted within the cylinder 44 and serving as a valve to admit fluid to or release it from opposite ends of said cylinder.

Pressure ports 54, 54 are provided in opposite ends of said cylinder for admitting fluid under pressure to either the head or piston rod end thereof and similar exhaust ports 55, 55 are provided in opposite ends of said cylinder for releasing fluid from either the head or piston rod end thereof.

The sleeve 53 is provided with openings 56, 56 adapted to register with certain of the pressure ports 54, 54 and is also provided with other openings 51, 51 adapted to register with certain of the exhaust ports 55. Stops 58, 58 project inwardly of said sleeve and are adapted to be enstaged by one end of the piston 45. Other stops 59, 59 project inwardly of said sleeve and are adapted to be engaged by the opposite end of said piston. Thus when said Piston moves to one extreme position, it will engage the stops 58 or 59, depending upon its direction of movement. This will move said sleeve to close the pressure ports 54 and open the exhaust ports 55 on one end of said piston and open the pressure ports 54 and close the exhaust ports 55 on the opposite end of said piston, and vice versa when said piston is moving in an opposite direction. Fluid under pressure is admitted to said pressure ports by means of a pipe 60 connected with the pressure pipe 31. Said exhaust ports are connected with a pipe 6| leading to a fluid storage tank 62, which supplies fluid for the system. Fluid under pressure will thus automatically move said piston back and forth within said cylinder in an obvious manner, to osciilatably move the nozzles 21, 21 within the cutter bar l1.

With reference now in particular to the use and operation of the device of my invention, the cutterbar l1 may be sumped into the coal seam in the usual manner, cutting being efl'ected by the cutter chain, it not being necessary to use the nozzles 21, 21 during this operation, since the cutter bar advances endwise into the coal and the resistance against its forward end is comparatively small compared to the resistance exerted against its advance side, when cutting across a coal face. When the cutter bar has been sumped into the coal seam to the required depth, fluid under pressure is admitted to the nozzles 21, 21 on the side of said bar which is its advance side during cutting across the coal face, to direct high pressure streams of water against the coal on the advance side of the cutter bar. and cut or break down the coal in the path of said nozzles. It should here be noted that it has been found by experiment that fluid passing through a nozzle one thirty-second of an inch in diameter at a pressure of five hundred pounds per square inch will penetrate coal at a rate of approximately six feet a minute. During this operation the cutter chain is kept in operation, to clear the kerf cut by the streams of fluid directed by the nozzles 21, 21 and to cut the coal which has not been broken down by said streams of fluid.

It may thus be seen that the streams or Jets of fluid directed from the nozzles 21, 21 will readily cut the coal at a much faster rate than could be done by a cutter chain and will permit it to be taken away from the coal seam' by the cutter chain. This will greatly facilitate the cutting operation, making it possible to cut a kerf at a high feeding speed, and will likewise prevent the dust usual during the cutting operation.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied. it will be understood that the construction thereof and the arrangement of the various parts may be altered without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to be construed as limiting my invention to the specific embodiment illustrated, excepting as it may be limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a kerf-cutting device, a cutter bar having a cutter chain movable thereabout, and an oscillating fluid nozzle mounted in said cutter bar and positioned to direct a stream of fluid under pressure on the advance side of said cutter bar, to break down material in advance of said cutter chain.

2. In a kerf-cutting apparatus, a cutter bar having a cutter chain movable thereabout, and a plurality of fluid nozzles mounted in said cutter bar above and below said cutter chain and positioned to direct streams of fluid under pressure on the advance side of said cutter bar to break down material in advance of said cutter bar, and means for oscillating said nozzles in a direction longitudinally of said cutter bar.

3. In a kerf-cutting apparatus, a cutter bar having a cutter chain movable thereabout, and a plurality of fluid nozzles mounted in said cutter bar above and below said cutter chain and positioned to direct streams of fluid under pressure on the advance side of said cutter bar to break down material in advance of said cutter bar, and means for oscillating said nozzles in a direction longitudinally of said cutter bar including a fluid pressure cylinder and piston.

4. In a kerf-cutting apparatus, a cutter bar having a cutter chain movable thereabout, a fluid nozzle mounted in said cutter bar, a fluid passageway in said cutter bar leading to said fluid nozzle, and means for oscillating said nozzle in a direction longitudinally of said cutter bar, for directing a stream of fluid to the advance side of said cutter bar in directions extending transversely thereof.

5. In a kerf-cutting apparatus, a cutter bar having a cutter chain movable thereabout, a plurality of longitudinally spaced fluid nozzles mounted in said cutter bar on the advance side thereof above and below said cutter chain, a fluid passageway in said cutter bar, leading to said fluid nozzles, for transmitting fluid under pressure to said nozzles, and means for oscillating said nozzles in a direction extending longitudinally of said cutter bar for directing fluid under pressure for the length oi said cutter bar, during cutting across a coal i'ace.

ROY S. BIGELOW. 

